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Righteous #3
The Wicked
Growing up in a conservative polygamous community, Eliza Christianson was a young woman of faith who could never quite wrap her mind around the fundamentalist aspects of her religion. Thanks to her older brother Jacob, she managed to survive adolescence unmarried, even enrolling in classes at the University of Utah. Eliza always suspected God had more in store for her than just to be some man's third or fourth wife; nonetheless, she is surprised when Allison Caliari seeks her out for help. Allison's daughter Madeline has been recruited by a doomsday cult led by a cruel man known only as the Disciple, and she wants Eliza's help to get the girl back. One of the few leads Allison can offer is a fateful one: Jacob and Eliza's brother David, a "lost boy" shunned by the church. Eliza sets out to convince David to help her infiltrate the cult, and she ventures to an abandoned dumping ground in the Las Vegas desert to rescue Madeline. The third installment of Michael Wallace's enthralling Righteous series, The Wicked tears off the veil of religious fanaticism as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary heroine.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2011
80 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
About the author
Michael Wallace
73 books320 followersWould you like an alert when the next Michael Wallace book is published? Sign up for Michael's email list and receive a free Kindle copy of The Righteous novella "Trial by Fury." This list is used to announce new releases and occasional offers of free advance copies, not for any other purpose.
Michael also welcomes email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Michael also welcomes email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 20, 2012
This series just seems to get more ridiculous as it goes along. The FLDS church apparently is trying to kill everyone and cover everything up. I'm pretty sure it's not as bad as it's being made out in these books. Still, I found myself enjoying the book for the most part and the suspense of what was coming and who was behind it was interesting. This is a book for those who have enjoyed the others in the series.
April 22, 2012
Drats! Read first three one after the other and was anxious for #4 but it won't be out until October.
April 7, 2012
Enjoyed another suspenseful book of the escapades of Eliza and her family. A very good read
July 21, 2017
Captivating read with a lot of violence
What a storyteller! Michael Wallace captivates, intrigues, and keeps you turning those pages wanting more. His research is amazing and makes the story so much better. There is a lot of evil and violence, maybe insanity, but definitely suspense and action. What will happen between the Christiansons and Kimballs next?
What a storyteller! Michael Wallace captivates, intrigues, and keeps you turning those pages wanting more. His research is amazing and makes the story so much better. There is a lot of evil and violence, maybe insanity, but definitely suspense and action. What will happen between the Christiansons and Kimballs next?
March 19, 2018
Great series
I am enjoying this series very much. It has a polygamist background, yet adventure, suspense and you come to live the characters.
I am enjoying this series very much. It has a polygamist background, yet adventure, suspense and you come to live the characters.
July 23, 2021
Another great book!
I love this series by Michael Wallace. This book was as exciting and fast paced as the previous books in the series. Can't wait to read the next one!
I love this series by Michael Wallace. This book was as exciting and fast paced as the previous books in the series. Can't wait to read the next one!
May 9, 2013
[Please note: this review also appears on Amazon.co.uk under my username 'Esofagus']
I have an interest in religious cults so when this book appeared on my Amazon Vine list, I was immediately interested. I realised that The Wicked was the third instalment from an existing series, but I was encouraged by the fact that most reviewers said the story would still make sense even without having read Book 1 and 2.
I must admit that initially I found the plot confusing: different factions of Mormons are busy conspiring against each other; some are polygamists, some aren't. The main character, Eliza, is the heroine in this story, but at the same time, she is part of one of the aforementioned religious groups. Her brother, Jacob, is a doctor turned prophetic leader among their group. I'm not saying it's unlikely to be a Mormon and a doctor, but science and religious extremism is not such a plausible combination. But if you didn't think your suspension of disbelief had been stretched far enough, may I introduce you to one of the other female characters - an FBI agent who got `converted' during an undercover operation and who alternates between moments of religious delirium and Clarice Starling-like FBI heroism.
If you can get past the implausible characters, the plot, as one other reviewer mentioned here on Amazon, becomes less convincing with every page, culminating with an open ending that hints at more trouble to come. However, even after reaching the last page, I am still not sure as to what motivated the various sub-groups to turn against each other. I could read the previous two volumes, but I am not sure I want to now. It's a shame, because I have an interest in this kind of story, but I can't quite buy the strange combination of FBI and Latter Day Saints that Michael Wallace is selling me.
In terms of writing, Wallace, who is published by Amazon's own imprint, has a lot of potential, and his writing is often very elegant, with very evocative, almost lyrical descriptions of the Utah desert. However, that is ultimately not enough to sustain an entire novel. Yes, it was a gripping read, and I couldn't put it down, but it left me unconvinced. Maybe I should have read the first two volumes after all.
I have an interest in religious cults so when this book appeared on my Amazon Vine list, I was immediately interested. I realised that The Wicked was the third instalment from an existing series, but I was encouraged by the fact that most reviewers said the story would still make sense even without having read Book 1 and 2.
I must admit that initially I found the plot confusing: different factions of Mormons are busy conspiring against each other; some are polygamists, some aren't. The main character, Eliza, is the heroine in this story, but at the same time, she is part of one of the aforementioned religious groups. Her brother, Jacob, is a doctor turned prophetic leader among their group. I'm not saying it's unlikely to be a Mormon and a doctor, but science and religious extremism is not such a plausible combination. But if you didn't think your suspension of disbelief had been stretched far enough, may I introduce you to one of the other female characters - an FBI agent who got `converted' during an undercover operation and who alternates between moments of religious delirium and Clarice Starling-like FBI heroism.
If you can get past the implausible characters, the plot, as one other reviewer mentioned here on Amazon, becomes less convincing with every page, culminating with an open ending that hints at more trouble to come. However, even after reaching the last page, I am still not sure as to what motivated the various sub-groups to turn against each other. I could read the previous two volumes, but I am not sure I want to now. It's a shame, because I have an interest in this kind of story, but I can't quite buy the strange combination of FBI and Latter Day Saints that Michael Wallace is selling me.
In terms of writing, Wallace, who is published by Amazon's own imprint, has a lot of potential, and his writing is often very elegant, with very evocative, almost lyrical descriptions of the Utah desert. However, that is ultimately not enough to sustain an entire novel. Yes, it was a gripping read, and I couldn't put it down, but it left me unconvinced. Maybe I should have read the first two volumes after all.
May 17, 2012
Very good. The setting of the story is a religious cult with mutliple wives and beliefs that girls should accept arranged marriages to old men.
This book is part of a series. I was initially put off by a topic that I was uncomfortable with. But once I got past that and settled into the story, it was a good mystery involving a murder investigation and featuring interesting characters.
One is Jacob who is studying to be a doctor and is struggling with his faith and resisting demands from his fellow church members who want him to marry and begin adding babies to their numbers.
Another is Sister Miriam who was an FBI agent sent to infiltrate the cult but who decided she wanted to become part of the cult where she found peace and love for the first time in her life.
Part of the back story is how the cults believe they are God's choosen and they need to expand their numbers as rapidly as possible so, when the Second Coming happens, they will have large en
enough numbers to be in control in the new world.
I enjoyed the whole series. They have been offered as bargain books by Amazon for Kindle at a very reduced price. I don't remember for sure, but I think they were on sale for $1.99 each.
This book is part of a series. I was initially put off by a topic that I was uncomfortable with. But once I got past that and settled into the story, it was a good mystery involving a murder investigation and featuring interesting characters.
One is Jacob who is studying to be a doctor and is struggling with his faith and resisting demands from his fellow church members who want him to marry and begin adding babies to their numbers.
Another is Sister Miriam who was an FBI agent sent to infiltrate the cult but who decided she wanted to become part of the cult where she found peace and love for the first time in her life.
Part of the back story is how the cults believe they are God's choosen and they need to expand their numbers as rapidly as possible so, when the Second Coming happens, they will have large en
enough numbers to be in control in the new world.
I enjoyed the whole series. They have been offered as bargain books by Amazon for Kindle at a very reduced price. I don't remember for sure, but I think they were on sale for $1.99 each.
September 9, 2012
Like many have already said, the series keeps getting better and better. Jacob and Eliza are interesting characters as are the supporting characters who appear and reappear in the series. I honestly thought this would be my last of the series because during parts of book 1 and 2, I kept thinking that I can't handle the level of "evil" from the antagonists, but I don't think I can stop reading now. Too many plotlines yet to be resolved. There are truly evil characters but also a handful of characters in addition to Eliza abd Jacob who I am rooting for. There are also a few questions I have that weren't answered in this book. I don't know how long Wallace will continue with this saga. I don't think I have ever finished any series I have started because plotlines get old and I get bored, but it hasn't happened yet with this series. Until then, I will keep reading this entrancing story.
June 14, 2011
Another great one in the series. Eliza is more prominent in this one. It was very violent in some of plots but I thought the author did a good job letting you "feel the terror" but not taking it too far.
I also liked the twists and turns and a bit more mystery to think about for future series books.
My favorite character though had to be Sister Miriam, she has such an interesting story line. Trial by Fury (A Righteous Novella) added some good insight to this as well. Keep up the good work!
Formating had some issues on my Nook Color, No table of contents and the pages numbers read 688 when it was more likely half of it. It would just advance two pages at a time.
I also liked the twists and turns and a bit more mystery to think about for future series books.
My favorite character though had to be Sister Miriam, she has such an interesting story line. Trial by Fury (A Righteous Novella) added some good insight to this as well. Keep up the good work!
Formating had some issues on my Nook Color, No table of contents and the pages numbers read 688 when it was more likely half of it. It would just advance two pages at a time.
May 3, 2012
Fantastic book, I finished it in two sessions. Eliza is a great heroine - she is feisty and strong, but still sticks to her faith, although she is clearly capable of some pretty spectacular feats when it comes to defending herself and those she protects. As someone who knows little about polygamists, this was a fascinating insight into the world, and is a sympathetic portrayal in many ways, sensitively done so as not to be offensive. Yet the religious extremists are characterized with intensity and the evil family of the Kimballs is truly scary. I haven't read the others previously in the series and this was fine to read as a stand-alone, although it has whetted my appetite for more of the Christiansons. Thanks Michael!
May 18, 2012
Totally hooked by now. The excellent writing style, so engaging, giving you insights into the cult thinking of fundamentalist Christian groups without lambasting them. You come to understand their history, their motives, their views, as skewed as they may seem to an outsider.
The character development through the series serves to cast a light on the subject of fundamentalist groups from all sides. The storyline flows well, rhythmic, with action and introspect narratives changing at the right pace. A very talented story teller!
The character development through the series serves to cast a light on the subject of fundamentalist groups from all sides. The storyline flows well, rhythmic, with action and introspect narratives changing at the right pace. A very talented story teller!
April 3, 2012
This is a difficult review to write. I finished reading The Wicked (Book 3 of the Righteous Series) last night. Michael Wallace is a great writer and this series is incredible. That said, The Wicked is not a book for everyone. Be prepared for a hard-core subject matter, a lot of violence and a book you can't put down. I don't want to say more for fear of giving things away. However, this is a series I can't stop reading.
April 10, 2012
Just finished reading the trilogy. The Righteous, Mighty and Strong and The Wicked. I caught the books on sale and figured, 'What the heck?' I wound up really enjoying the peek inside a culture that was pretty much alien to me. The religious fanatics made for very scary and recognizable antagonists. I'd certainly recommend this series.
July 8, 2013
Well, I'm done with this book and done with the series - I've read 3 and that's enough. There are several more in the series but I just can't get anymore involved with these characters. The main characters have developed more since the first book and the "good guys and gals" are pretty likeable but just not enough to hold my attention any longer. I'll quit and consider myself ahead.
August 29, 2011
I like the characters in this series. I found the earlier books in The Righteous series to focus more on the true polygamist life style. This book turned to more and more sick actions and horrific cult activity. I enjoy the writing style of the author and it kept my interest to the end.
April 12, 2012
This is the weakest of the series and clearly the author just tried to shock the reader. Nothing about the story made any sense just mindless lurid details and violence. Sad because the premise is good.
April 9, 2012
I felt like this one verged on the edge of being crude without purpose...I somehow still feel fairly uninvested in most of the characters, but keep hoping (fingers crossed) things will fall together-
December 30, 2012
Still reading the series, which says something. Interesting tensions on Jacob, a lead character, brought up in a polygamous community, whose wife wants him to take another wife. Pressures on him to lead such a community. All packed in an exciting story.
January 14, 2015
About average
Not horrid but not great. Read it as I was interested in the topic but the story seemed too simplistic & appeared more energy was put into a set up for another book rather than developing this one
Not horrid but not great. Read it as I was interested in the topic but the story seemed too simplistic & appeared more energy was put into a set up for another book rather than developing this one
June 12, 2011
The third in the trilogy saga. Like the others, the story was well written, had great character development and most impostant to me-an exciting plot that lasts thru to the end.
February 23, 2012
As engrossing as the rest and left me wanting more!
April 7, 2012
The series is just getting better and better with each book (this was book three). Keep them coming Michael Wallace!
June 11, 2012
Good book third in the series of polygamists by Mr Wallace.
Read
April 21, 2012The book left enough teasers and hints at the end to make me want to read the next in the series.
July 23, 2012
It was good.
July 14, 2012
My favorite in the series so far. I was glad Eliza was the main character this time. I am excited for the 4th book!
January 27, 2013
3rd in a fascinating series.
June 18, 2015
Interesting series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews